Flowers Grow in Rain
by ShanTV Broadway
Summary: A re-write of "A Little Fall of Rain" if Eponine was secretly in a certain difficult situation, and only Marius knew...


Flowers Grow in Rain

A shout rose from the gunfire, "There's a boy climbing the barricade!"

Eponine felt strong but gentle hands lift her away from the danger of muskets and cannons. _Thank goodness, _she thought as she slowly lowered herself to the ground. _If I had been hit… _

"Eponine!" Marius ran to her from the crowd of men surrounding the shelter.

He led her aside to a small area. "What on Earth are you doing here?" he scolded. "I specifically said to take Cosette's letter to her, and _not_ come back! It's too…"

Eponine suddenly squeezed his hand very hard with a pained look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Marius asked. He looked at her, concerned that she had been injured.

She suddenly let go of his hand. "Come with me," she whispered, and took him by the arm, leading him to an alley hidden beside the barricade.

The alley was small and secluded, illuminated by two or three lanterns. Burlap sacks were sprawled in a pile against a wall, with one stuffed with what looked like old rags as a makeshift pillow.

"What is this?" Marius looked at the poverty-stricken area, hoping it was not what he thought it was.

"My home," Eponine said sadly. She threw the cap from her head toward a small crate near the back of the alley.

Marius was shocked. "But, what about your family? Why aren't you with them?"

"My father threatened me after I prevented an attack being put together at Cosette's house two days ago."

Eponine saw alarm in the man's eyes, but continued. "I'm sorry, I know I should have told you, but I had more important things to deal with."

She shrugged off her coat, letting it fall to the floor. Marius' eyes turned from anger to astonishment when he glanced at her figure.

He could have sworn she was a scrawny sort of girl, thin and plain. Now he saw that Eponine's belly was large and rounded out. And he had an idea why.

"Are you…"

"Yes," she sighed. "I am having a child." She gently put his hand to her stomach.

Marius felt the large mass, and then was suddenly startled by a soft jab coming from under his palm. He recoiled, but Eponine reached out for his fingers and brought it back to her abdomen.

"It's alright," she laughed. "It's just kicking, that's all." Feeling another small flutter, Marius was awestruck.

But after a moment, his joy turned to confusion. "How have you been hiding this? When did it happen? How?" "It's a long story," Eponine confessed.

"Almost nine months ago, my family was in a living hell. We lived in a shack on the outskirts of the city, never had anything to eat except a loaf of bread a week. My mother and father kept trying to steal from others to get what we needed, but I told them that what they were doing was wrong."

"So, they punished me," she continued. "They forced me to raise the money we needed by…"

Her voice broke, and she faltered on her words. "…selling myself."

"You were a prostitute?!" Marius' voice rose astonishingly.

"I'm so ashamed," Eponine said choking back her tears. "Irresponsibly giving my body to any man, not even knowing what the consequences would be. Then to become pregnant by a man I don't even know or love? I've become quite the role model for my child, haven't I, Monsieur Marius? I'm…"

"Stop!" Marius placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't say another word! None of this is your fault. Your parents are wicked people, forcing you to do such a thing. You are not a bad person, Eponine. You're kind, smart, and beautiful, and I'm glad to have you as a friend."

Eponine smiled at him, and he smiled back and pulled her in for a soft hug.

Suddenly he heard her gasp and she started to collapse. "What is it?" Marius helped her back onto her feet.

She was breathing in sharply, and had her hands to her back and stomach.

"Oh, no," she panted. "I think…I think it's time!" "You mean…" "Yes, the baby!"

Marius watched the young woman as she grasped his hand and squeezed it as she moaned in pain.

"We need to get you to a physician," he decided. "Let me carry you." He started to scoop Eponine into his arms, but she shook her head.

"No, I'm too heavy," she whimpered. "I could fall and hurt the baby. We'll have to stay here."

"_We?!_" "Yes, _we_. I can't do this by myself! Please, Marius, please help me!" she begged. "Help my child."

"But I don't know what to do!" Marius rebutted. How was a young revolutionary going to help a pregnant girl bring forth an infant?

"You don't have to know," Eponine said through gritted teeth. "My maman used to be a midwife before we owned the inn. She delivered babies at the inn, too, and she taught me a few things."

She crumpled back down to the ground, groaning.

"Alright," Marius agreed. "Alright, I can do this. _We_ can do this."

He went to her 'bed,' laying out the burlap and setting the 'pillow' against the wall. "Let's get you over here," he said going back over to Eponine. He helped her back onto her feet, and supporting her body, guided her over to the burlap cot and helped her back down to the floor, onto the soft, itchy fabric.

Marius noticed Eponine's coat lying nearby, and reached for it, bringing it to rest next to the two of them.

Sitting up slightly, Eponine reached for Marius' hand. "I'm frightened, Marius," she sniveled. "What if something goes wrong?"

"Don't you think that for one second," he took both her hands in his. "Everything will be fine. In a little while, your baby will be here, and you're going to be a wonderful mother."

Eponine smiled weakly, but then gasped and clutched at her belly. "Oh, it's happening!"

"Okay, okay, it's going to be alright." Marius hesitantly reached for the hem of her skirt, but resisted.

"Go on!" She hissed through her teeth. "You'll need to see what's happening, just do it!"

Marius swallowed hard and folded her skirt up to her knees. _Oh, God. _He had never laid eyes on a woman's body until now.

"I…aahh!" Eponine screeched as another contraction wracked her body. "Marius, I need…I need to push!"

He had no idea what she meant, but he had no reason to argue with her now.

"Alright then," he nodded to her. "Go ahead and push!"

Eponine gripped the burlap underneath her, gulped some air and tucked her chin into her chest. She grabbed Marius' upper arm and pushed with everything she had, cringing and sobbing from the hot burning from within her body.

Marius was almost afraid to look between her legs and see if the child was coming at all, seeing the agony its mother was in. However, he knew he must in order to help them both. He nervously glanced down.

"That's it," he praised her. "Just keep going, but you can rest if you need to."

Eponine cried out, releasing her grip on his bicep, and falling back against the wall, gasping.

From that point on, she would continue that same routine: pushing on the contractions while holding onto Marius' arm, then resting in between.

Eponine's pale face contorted with pain, warm tears running down her face. She felt as if she were splitting in half! Would it ever end?

Almost an hour seemed to pass until finally, something looked different.

"I see something!" Marius looked excitedly at an exhausted Eponine. "I think it's the baby's head! Keep going, Eponine!"

Eponine glanced up at him, sweat pouring down her brow.

At the corner of her eye, she saw a soldier creeping around from the corner, a musket in hand. Spying Marius with his back turned, the man aimed the gun for him.

"Look out!" Eponine shoved Marius off to the side, just as the trigger was released.

POW!

Marius threw a punch at the soldier, knocking him down.

The soldier got back up and reached for the firearm once again. Marius quickly dove for it, aimed at the gunner, and fired. The rank quickly dodged the bullet and ran back the way he came.

Once the man was out of sight, Marius heard a weak whimper. He turned round and saw Eponine, still propped up against the wall, but now with warm, scarlet blood running down her chest.

He gaped in shock, and ran back to her side. "Eponine! You're hurt!"

He pressed his hands to her body to try to stop the bleeding, but she pushed them away. "I'm fine," she shuddered. "Don't worry, I'm fine! The baby, Marius, the baby!"

Marius quickly examined her lower region, and sure enough, the baby's head was completely emerged, with no damage whatsoever.

"The baby's fine," he sighed with relief.

"Alright, you're almost there. Just one more push, then it will be over." Eponine tried to bear down, but suddenly began coughing roughly. Marius quickly helped her sit up and ran his hand in circles around her back to get her to catch her breath.

When she did, she was inhaling short and sharp and her exhales came out raspy and wavering.

"I…I don't think I can," she panted. "It's…it's so hard…to breathe. I'm so tired." Her eyelids started to droop.

"No! Stay awake, Eponine! Stay awake!" Marius shook her by the shoulder gently. "You can't give up, not when you're hurt like this. Come on, one more time!"

Once again, Eponine took hold of his arm and squeezed, but after only a few seconds, she shuddered and fell back.

"I…can't!" She moaned. "I can't, Marius. I think…I think I'm dying…I'm dying, aren't I?"

Marius wanted to say she wasn't, but with such an extensive injury and the blood she was losing from both that and the child's delivery, it was obvious that there was a chance that one or both of them wouldn't make it.

"I don't know," he sighed. "But even if you are, there's no reason to give up on giving your baby a chance at life!"

Marius took Eponine's hand and gingerly placed it on the top of the baby's head, still protruding from her cervix.

She smiled and sniffed loudly to block her tears. Marius was right; her child could still have a chance!

"Come on," Marius coaxed to her. "One more push, as hard as you can."

Eponine grabbed Marius' sleeve and started panting heavily. "Alright," she said softly. "I'm ready."

"Okay," Marius smoothed her hair away from her face and got back into position at her feet. "Push!"

Eponine cringed and cried out, following her instincts, using all the strength in every muscle. Marius carefully cradled the head as the shoulders were coming out.

"Almost there…just a little more!" he coached her. He hurriedly grabbed Eponine's coat and draped it across his lap.

With a final scream, Eponine at last felt the pain subside as the little body slid free.

A loud wail pierced the air, and Marius laughed out loud. He gently lifted the baby for Eponine to see.

"A boy!" he exclaimed happily. "You have a son, Eponine! A little boy!"

Tears of happiness and relief ran down Eponine's face as she looked on at her child.

A tuft of dark hair was matted over his head, and underneath the blood and other fluids, he had the same fair complexion as she.

Marius laid the infant down on top of Eponine's coat, pulled out a pocketknife and cut the umbilical cord. Once he finished, he swaddled the rest of the coat around the baby's body, and picked him back up.

"Look at him, Eponine," Marius smiled and held the squirming bundle out to his mother.

Slowly, he placed the child in her trembling arms, still keeping his own hands supported underneath in case his friend weakened. Eponine gently stroked her finger along her son's cheek.

"Hello," she whispered. "Hello, my little baby boy." She kissed his small forehead, embracing the child with all the love in her heart.

"What will you call him?" Marius asked. "He must have a name, you know."

Eponine looked up at Marius confidently. "His name is Colin," she grinned. "I've always wanted a son named Colin."

"Colin it is," Marius nodded.

Suddenly, Eponine started to shake. She let out a thick cough, and a trickle of blood ran down her chin.

Marius quickly took the baby from her arms and set him down gently on the ground next to them. He carefully helped Eponine lie back with her head in his lap, and smoothed her hair away from her face comfortingly.

A light shower of rain began to fall from the sky.

"Marius…" she croaked. "I…feel strange. Is this…what it feels like? To…to die?"

"Just hang on," he urged her. "Let me get help, you'll be fine."

"No." Eponine grabbed his hand. "Please…stay with me. Please…"

_Don't you fret, Monsieur Marius. I don't feel any pain. _

_A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now._

Marius nodded sadly. He knew he couldn't save her now; she was fading.

_You're here._

"It's too late for me," she said sadly. "But, it isn't for my son, right?"

"Of course it isn't too late," Marius smiled down at her. "He could be an extraordinary man one day."

Eponine happily imagined her little boy as a famous merchant, or even chief advisor to the King! How she wished she didn't have to leave him alone in the world.

_That's all I need to know._

"Promise me something," she whimpered. "Promise me that he'll be safe. That he has a good home, a good family. I want him to…"

"Shh," Marius hushed to her, and he lifted Eponine's upper body into his arms, holding her close.

_And you will keep me safe, and you will keep me close._

"I promise." he said earnestly. "Your son will be protected. Always."

Eponine smiled and reached her hand up to his face. Using what was left of her strength and soul, she pushed herself upwards towards the man she loved for so long.

_And rain will make the flowers…_

Trembling, she pressed her lips to his, running her palms up the back of his head, through his dark silken hair. Then, with a small gasp, she closed her eyes.

"I love you." she whispered hoarsely. And with that Eponine fell back, her body limp and arched over Marius' arms.

_Grow._

Just as quickly as the little baby Colin had come, his mother had left.

"Marius!" Enjorlas, Joly, and Grantaire had heard the commotion at last and had followed it to the alley.

To say they were shocked to find a perished young woman and newborn infant with their compatriot is an understatement.

Sadly, Marius explained all that had happened, including Eponine's last wishes for her son.

"I have to find him a good home, a family," he remarked. "Let me go upwards into town. I know where he can stay."

His friends were hesitant, fearing for his life if he crossed paths with the enemy. "Trust me," Marius implored. "I'll be alright; we both will be."

Enjorlas put his hand on Marius' shoulder and nodded. "Just be careful."

Gathering the baby in his arms, Marius slipped past the three men and ran up the street as quickly as he could. Luckily, the enemy had fallen back after their last attack, so it was safe to pass.

It took a matter of minutes before Marius and baby Collin came to a large boarding house filled with people. Marius immediately went to the owner, whom he was friends with, asking him if he knew anyone who would be willing to care for and raise the orphaned boy was clinging to.

After thinking a moment, the manager said, "There is a couple who has resided here since the beginning of their marriage. They have been praying for years to have a child."

"Do you think I could speak with them?" Marius asked.

After calling them over, the manager left the three of them to talk.

The couple, who were called Chevalier, took no more than five minutes than to decide to take in Colin and raise him as their own son.

"You have no idea how much this means to Amelie and I," the husband, whose name was Nicolas, obliged to Marius.

"We promise, we'll take good care of him." His wife agreed.

Marius smiled. He knew that they were honest and kind people, the type that Eponine wanted for her son to be surrounded with.

But, even as he left the new family, and re-joined his allies at the barricade, he couldn't help letting tears fall. The last memories of his friend were gone, and would be made into new ones for a better future.


End file.
